It is often regarded as one of the greatest hip hop recordings ever. Tiffany Hamilton describes it as a "timeless ode to Hip-Hop [...] that established Common as one of the pioneers in conscious Hip-Hop."
It was ranked #1 on About.com's Greatest Rap Songs Of All Time.
I Used to Love H.E.R.
Common Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To the beat, y'all, and you don't stop
Yes, yes, y'all, and you don't stop
A-one, two, y'all, and you don't stop
A-yes, yes y'all, and you don't stop
And to the beat Com Sense'll be the sure shot, come on
I met this girl when I was ten years old
She was old school when I was just a shorty
Never knew throughout my life she would be there for me
On the regular, not a church girl, she was secular
Not about the money, them studs was mic-checkin' her
But I respected her, she hit me in the heart
A few New York niggas had did her in the park
But she was there for me, and I was there for her
Pull out a chair for her, turn on the air for her
And just cool out, cool out, and listen to her
Sittin' on bone, wishin' that I could do her
Eventually if it was meant to be, then it would be
'Cause we related, physically and mentally
And she was fun then, I'd be geeked when she'd come around
Slim was fresh, yo, when she was underground
Original, pure, untampered, a down sister
Boy, I tell you, I miss her
A-yes, yes y'all, and you don't stop
To the beat, y'all, and you don't stop
A-yes, yes y'all, and you don't stop
A-one, two, y'all, and you don't stop
A-yes, yes y'all, and you don't stop
A-Com Sense y'all, and you don't stop
A-yes, yes y'all, and you don't stop
UAC, yo, we gotta be the sure shot
Now periodically I would see
Ol' girl at the clubs, and at the house parties
She didn't have a body, but she started gettin' thick quick
Did a couple of videos and became Afrocentric
Out goes the weave, in goes the braids, beads, medallions
She was on that tip about stoppin' the violence
About my people she was teachin' me
By not preachin' to me but speakin' to me
In a method that was leisurely, so easily I approach
She dug my rap, that's how we got close
But then she broke to the West Coast, and that was cool
'Cause around the same time, I went away to school
And I'm a man of expandin', so why should I stand in her way?
She probably get her money in LA
And she did stud, she got big pub, but what was foul
She said that the pro-black was goin' out of style
She said, "Afrocentricity was of the past"
So she got into R&B, hip-house, bass, and jazz
Now black music is black music and it's all good
I wasn't salty she was with the boys in the hood
'Cause I was due for her, she was becomin' well-rounded
I thought it was dope how she was on that freestyle shit
Just havin' fun, not worried about anyone
And you could tell by how her titties hung
A-yes, yes y'all, and you don't stop
To the beat, y'all, and you don't stop
A-yes, yes y'all, and you don't stop
A-one, two, y'all, and you don't stop
A-yes, yes y'all, and you don't stop
And to the beat Com gotta be the sure shot
A-yes, yes y'all, and you don't stop
If you don't check it, mm-mm, bust it, bust it
I might've failed to mention that this chick was creative
Once The Man got to her, he altered her native
Told her if she got an image and a gimmick
That she could make money, and she did it like a dummy
Now I see her in commercials, she's universal
She used to only swing it with the inner-city circle
Now she be in the burbs, lookin' rock and dressin' hippie
And on some dumb shit when she comes to the city
Talkin' about poppin' Glocks, servin' rocks and hittin' switches
Now she's a gangsta rollin' with gangsta bitches
Always smokin' blunts and gettin' drunk
Tellin' me sad stories, now she only fucks with the funk
Stressin' how hardcore and real she is
She was really the realest, before she got into showbiz
I did her, not just to say I did it
But I'm committed (girl, he's committed)
But so many niggas hit it
That she's just not the same lettin' all these goofies do her
I see niggas slammin' her and takin' her to the sewer
But I'ma take her back, hopin' that the shit stop
'Cause who I'm talkin' about, y'all, is hip-hop
To the beat, y'all, and you don't stop
A-yes, yes y'all, and you don't stop
Mainframe, yo, they gotta be the sure shot
A-yes, yes, y'all, and you don't stop
To the beat, y'all, and you don't stop
A-yes, yes y'all, and you don't stop
A-one, two, Com Sense is gonna drop, haha
Mmm, mmm
Uh, uh
I used to love H.E.R.
Uh-uh, uh, uh
I used to love H.E.R.
Uh-uh, uh, uh
I used to love H.E.R.
Uh-uh, uh, uh
I used to love H.E.R.
Uh-uh, uh, uh
I used to love H.E.R.
Uh-uh, uh, uh
I used to love H.E.R.
Went and fucked up all the shit, y'all
"You ain't got your woman in check, man?"
"I think you're overstepping your bounds just a little bit"
"I can't do this anymore
I can't do this anymore"
The song "I Used to Love H.E.R." by rapper Common is a tribute to hip-hop music and its evolution. H.E.R. is personified as a woman that Common met when he was 10 years old. She had "so much soul" and was "old school" when he was a "shorty," showing that he has been in love with hip-hop for a long time. Common describes how H.E.R. was always there for him and he was there for her, and even though they were physically and mentally related, they built a strong bond over their shared love of hip-hop music.
As time went on, H.E.R. changed, and Common describes how she moved to the West Coast, changed her style, and started making more money. She became part of the mainstream music scene, lost her Afrocentricity, and became more concerned with money and drama. H.E.R. became someone that Common didn't recognize, and he was disappointed to see her become something different than what they both believed in.
Line by Line Meaning
A-yes, yes y'all, and you don't stop
This song is about Hip-Hop culture and how it has changed over time
I met this girl when I was ten years old
Hip-hop was first discovered as a form of expression that had depth and soul
She was old school when I was just a shorty
Hip-hop used to be true to its roots, and authentic
Not about the money, them studs was mic-checkin' her
Hip-hop used to be all about the music, not the fame and the money
And she was fun then, I'd be geeked when she'd come around
Hip-hop used to be a source of fun and enjoyment
Did a couple of videos and became Afrocentric
Hip-hop started incorporating African roots and identity
Out goes the weave, in goes the braids, beads, medallions
Hip-hop started using more natural expressions of black identity
About my people she was teachin' me
Hip-hop became a way to share knowledge about the black experience
But then she broke to the West Coast, and that was cool
Hip-hop spread and developed into regional styles and variations
She said that the pro-black was goin' out of style
Hip-hop's embrace of black identity became less prevalent
Now black music is black music and it's all good
Hip-hop became just another genre, losing its unique voice and perspective
Once The Man got to her, he altered her native
Hip-hop became more commercialized and controlled by outside interests
I used to love H.E.R.
The song laments the loss of Hip-hop's original spirit and integrity
Went and fucked up all the shit, y'all
The commercialization and dilution of Hip-hop is seen as a negative influence
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Ernest Dion Wilson, Lonnie Rashid Lynn
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@derekt.miller2924
It was an honor and privilege to assist in directing this classic video alongside director Chris Halliburton. Forever a Hip hop classic. Salutes Rashe aka Common Sense
@ziontownsend1318
Thank you bro
@rima7286
Thank you
@derekt.miller2924
@Zion Townsend very welcome!
@derekt.miller2924
@Rima very welcome ☺️💪
@adv.vinaya.k3026
Props to you for directing a classic
@chrisSVT
This isn't rap... it's poetry. It's August of 2021 and I still play this all the time. It's nice to know I'm not alone.
@teknul89
Rap is poetry too
@teknul89
@@CalleOcho0830 based on those you wrote i assume you are big fan of trap Music
@MISTERKIC
Almost 2024❤